Conrad Hotels recently introduced a new initiative that combines the beauty of Instagram travel photos with the ease of making a mobile travel booking. Through the Like2Buy platform, the hotel turns its photo posts into a web shop where it's incredibly easy to book a room if you like what you see. For more information and to make a reservation, people are directed back to the hotel website.
Since the hotel posts photos of everything from its suites to food and available amenities, this is a great way to bring awareness to what's available at properties from all over the world. Since The Conrad Hotels Instagram account currently has over 4,500 followers, this means that there's tons of opportunity for people to book a spontaneous vacation.
Social Travel Shops
Conrad Hotels Lets Its Guests Make a Travel Booking Through Instagram
Trend Themes
1. Instagram Travel Bookings - The trend of using Instagram as a platform to make travel bookings creates disruptive innovation opportunities for hotels and travel agencies.
2. Social Commerce in Hospitality - The trend of turning social media platforms into web shops for hospitality businesses provides disruptive innovation opportunities to enhance the booking experience for customers.
3. Influencer Marketing in Travel - The trend of leveraging influencers on Instagram to showcase hotels and destinations presents disruptive innovation opportunities for collaboration and increasing brand awareness.
Industry Implications
1. Hospitality - The hospitality industry can take advantage of social travel shops by incorporating Instagram as a direct booking channel, attracting customers through visual content and simplifying the reservation process.
2. Travel Agencies - Travel agencies can embrace the Instagram travel booking trend by partnering with hotels and offering specialized packages, leveraging popular posts to drive sales and create unique travel experiences for customers.
3. Influencer Marketing - Influencer marketing agencies can tap into the trend of influencer marketing in travel by connecting hotels with relevant Instagram influencers, facilitating collaborations for mutual benefit and increased brand exposure.